Justice Binta Nyako of a Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, issued a bench warrant for arrest of the leader of proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Nyako, who revoked the bail earlier granted Kanu in 2017, relied on Section 352 (4) of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.
She held that the court would go ahead to try Kanu in absentia.
Kanu’s counsel, Mr Ifeanyi Ejiofor, could not give reasons why his client repeatedly failed to appear in court to answer to the charge the Federal Government preferred against him.
Nyako fixed June 18 to commence Kanu’s trial in absentia.
On March 21, a Federal High Court struck out a case against Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe and former Aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode over the disappearance of Kanu.
Justice John Tsoho dismissed the suit on grounds of lack of diligent prosecution, following the absence of the lawyer who filed the matter.
A lawyer, Isaiah Agidi Ayugu, had brought the application before the court seeking for an order compelling the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) and the Department of State Services (DSS) to prosecute Abaribe and Fani Kayode over the escape of Kanu from Nigeria.
But the applicant failed to respond to the preliminary objection contending that the suit is an abuse of court process by both Abaribe and Fani-Kayode, who were joined as parties in the suit.
Ayugu had through his lawyer, Oghenevo Otemu, also sought the prosecution of Kanu’s lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, and his siblings, Emmanuel Kanu, Uchechi Kanu; and sureties, Tochukwu Uchendu and Emmanuel Shallom-Ben.
He had alleged that they had a hand in the escape of Kanu, following the September 2017 military operation in his family compound in Afara-Ukwu, Umuahia, Abia State.
Kanu was eventually sighted in Israel.
